62
Zenith
Ref. 4528
"Marina Militare"
A fine and rare stainless steel and yellow gold large single pusher chronograph wristwatch with enamel dial, made for the Marina Militare
- Estimate
- CHF15,000 - 25,000€13,900 - 23,200$14,900 - 24,800
CHF25,000
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Zenith
- Year
- circa 1930
- Reference No
- 4528
- Case No
- 43'026
- Model Name
- "Marina Militare"
- Material
- Stainless steel and 18k yellow gold
- Calibre
- Manual, cal. 854, 17 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- Original leather strap
- Clasp/Buckle
- Stainless steel
- Dimensions
- 42mm. Diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial and movement signed
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
While the CP-2 (Cronometro da Polsa Type 2) is the best known wristwatch Zenith made for the Italian army in the 1960s-1970s, it is a lesser known fact that Zenith provided the Italian Navy with a small batch of chronographs in the 1930s.
Whereas the design of the CP-2 was overtly military and was built to be used by the armed forces, the present lot made for the Marina Militare, the Italian Navy, with its superbly elegant steel and gold case with enamel dial was most probably made to be worn by high ranking officers as far away as possible from battles or from the nefarious effect of sea water.
The large 42mm stepped case is quite impressive with its short downturned gold lugs and gold bezel. The superbly preserved white enamel dial features crisp black Arabic numerals and a double snail scale, the tachometer in red and telemeter in blue.
A "nodo savoia" is prominently featured above 6 o’clock.
The present watch in excellent condition is quite unique as it was made for the Italian Navy but lacks the ruggedness of a tool watch to be used in combat. With its sleek elegance it is a somewhat UFO amongst military watches and as such will certainly appeal to the most discerning collector.
Whereas the design of the CP-2 was overtly military and was built to be used by the armed forces, the present lot made for the Marina Militare, the Italian Navy, with its superbly elegant steel and gold case with enamel dial was most probably made to be worn by high ranking officers as far away as possible from battles or from the nefarious effect of sea water.
The large 42mm stepped case is quite impressive with its short downturned gold lugs and gold bezel. The superbly preserved white enamel dial features crisp black Arabic numerals and a double snail scale, the tachometer in red and telemeter in blue.
A "nodo savoia" is prominently featured above 6 o’clock.
The present watch in excellent condition is quite unique as it was made for the Italian Navy but lacks the ruggedness of a tool watch to be used in combat. With its sleek elegance it is a somewhat UFO amongst military watches and as such will certainly appeal to the most discerning collector.
Literature
Zenith
Swiss | 1865Since Zenith's beginnings, founder George Favre-Jacot sought to manufacture precision timepieces, realizing quality control was best maintained when production was housed under one roof. Zenith remains one of the few Swiss manufacturers to produce their own in-house movements to this day.
Today, the brand is best known for the "El Primero," the firm's most successful automatic chronograph movement. In an interesting twist of fate, the company that owned Zenith during the 1970s decided to move on to quartz movements and therefore sought to destroy the parts and tools necessary to make mechanical movements. One watchmaker realized this folly and hid the tools and parts before they were destroyed. In 1984, he returned them to Zenith so they could once again make the El Primero movement.
Browse MakerToday, the brand is best known for the "El Primero," the firm's most successful automatic chronograph movement. In an interesting twist of fate, the company that owned Zenith during the 1970s decided to move on to quartz movements and therefore sought to destroy the parts and tools necessary to make mechanical movements. One watchmaker realized this folly and hid the tools and parts before they were destroyed. In 1984, he returned them to Zenith so they could once again make the El Primero movement.